


just me, her and the moon

by Anonymous



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 21:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20731214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: For a songwriter, Harry Styles is excellent at concealing subtext in his songs but (fairly) rubbish at concealing subtext in real life.





	just me, her and the moon

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Dreaming of Sunshine](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/53648) by Silver Queen. 

“That yours?”

Harry blinks, “Sorry, what’s mine?”

He had vaguely registered her polite request to share a table, and that was it. Now, he turns to her. Small slip of a thing, dark hair, dark eyes and a quiet smile. Honestly, he could not be blamed for forgetting about her when she cut a rather forgettable figure, dress fairly understated.

She nods her chin over to the boys, to – Louis, laughing at Liam who looks more like a drowned dog than Glamour’s Sexiest Man.

It can’t be helped, a reflex from years of watching Louis. Watching because he could not touch, he could not hold. Not anymore. He was so far, further than the distance of a few meters, and Harry could never get him back. But at least, he would have the memories of happy Louis, quicksilver smiles and belly laughs. Along with victorious Louis, with silly little dances; sleepy Louis with soft hair and softer smiles; angry Louis with vicious words and trembling hands. He would not even trade in the memories of Louis' sadness, not even the memory of his stiff spine and lips bitten red from holding back tears. Because all of those Louis' had been Harry's once to have and to hold, and Harry had never denied that he was a selfish person.

He doesn’t know what to say, unable to agree because it was not the truth. But he couldn’t deny it either, the wound still hurting years later.

“But you are his.”

And Harry just feels like the air had been punched out of him. He never had hidden his admiration of Louis, but it was an unspoken thing. Present, but rarely acknowledged; just like Zayn’s leaving and a million other things the management had suppressed.

The girl hums, considering before offering her hand, “My name’s Shay, stunt double. I would apologise for the presumption, but I can’t help myself sometimes.”

He has been on the back foot this entire conversation, honestly. It is the first time in a long while that anyone outside his circle and by extension, the band’s circle has acknowledged the elephant.

“Whatever gives you that idea, I wonder,” he says.

Shay smiles, a little wicked thing. “A few loose mouths, years of tabloid pieces, social media. You name it, and you got your pick.”

“I don’t think it would be easy as that. Don’t you know, rumors only ever grow.”

“You never stop watching him, and your smile. You have one just for him, and no one ever has that for someone… insignificant.”

He flinches, a reflexive action that she does not miss. He cannot have been as obvious as all of that, not when he had no reason left to be so.

“Oh,” she says, watching him. “I am not here for the next rumour. And I know this might seem stupid, but you don’t seem like you wanted to let him go.”

Harry gathers himself, chooses his words to be quiet. This is the one thing he cannot shout about, the one thing left that he can do his best to protect from the world. “Was it ever my choice? Was it ever – Who said I wanted to watch him lose himself? Who said I had a fucking choice?”

Shay goes to reach out for his hand but stops. It would be the smartest thing she had done so far, if not a kind one. He can’t help it, the thrum of anger ripping through his words and his spine. He would rather walk away from her, but it would be a Scene and Harry Styles cannot afford that. Harry Styles cannot afford a lot of things these days. But Harry, just Harry does not want most of those things either way. Except one.

“You are his, and he’s yours. Look, he has been watching you too, but I think between the both of us, he’s afraid. He seems like a fighter, but if he isn’t himself, why should he bother fighting then? Change the script, tear out the pages, and start over, Styles. Rewrite your own damn story, fix yourself your own happy ending.”

“This isn’t some fairy tale, where I can get it right again.”

She sighs, “There are so many times you can get it right, just as there are many wrong ones. But that’s never the end, the story is not over.”

“This is real life and you don’t get do-overs like in fantasies.”

“Just because it’s in your head, does not mean it isn’t real.”

And well, that was a new one. Harry laughs, at least her comeback was original in spirit.

“Get it right, Harry Styles. At least for yourself, if not for his sake,” she says. She puts her empty glass down, smiling at him. Her eyes are not though, and Harry can’t help but wonder if she has lost her Louis too.

“See you around, Shay.”

“It’s been a pleasure, Styles. Can’t say if you or him would think so though,” she says, and oh. Louis is staring her down, and she gives a little laugh and nods at him before walking off. Louis has been watching them for quite a while, if his blank face is anything to go by.

(Shikako can’t help herself, laughing at the entire situation. What were the odds she was going to bump into Harry Styles at the movie premiere? Shika would have pointed out it was just like her, to walk into the most bothersome situations.

But she never listened to him either way, and he isn’t here. She clearly needs to find some better hobbies, beginning with finding a way home to Shika and a way to stay put.)

**Author's Note:**

> I have to preface this with a disclaimer, that this is a story involving the public personas of real life people. And there is the use of Silverqueen's Shikako Nara OC. Do check out her story, Dreaming of Sunshine. To date, it is one of the best executions of a primarily OC character based story. (And one of the best Naruto fics too!)
> 
> The story was inspired in part by the multiple fanfics of DoS, where Shikako goes into other worlds and changes things.
> 
> Thank you to those who read this fic. Appreciate any feedback, especially given that it has been more than 2 years since I last wrote.
> 
> (Not that anyone needs a life update, but I have been struggling with some mental health issues. My therapist encouraged me to pick up writing again, so HERE WE GO GUYS!)


End file.
